Dolphins blow golden opportunity with 19-0 loss at Buffalo

Team no longer controls its playoff future, needs help to earn wildcard berth

December 22, 2013|By Chris Perkins, Staff writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – — The Dolphins had one mission when they went to a Buffalo franchise preparing for another losing season – get a victory to control their playoff destiny.

Instead, the Bills harrassed Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, sacking him a season-high seven times and held the Dolphins offense to 103 total yards of offense in getting the 19-0 victory,

The Dolphins had their best playoff opportunity in five years Sunday…and they blew it. Now, making the playoffs for the first time since 2008 becomes a waiting game.

The bad news for the Dolphins, who currently hold the sixth and final AFC playoff spot, is they no longer control their own playoff future.

The Dolphins (8-7) are currently tied with Baltimore (8-7) and San Diego (8-7) for the sixth and final AFC wildcard berth.

If all three teams win next week – the Dolphins over the New York Jets, the Ravens over Cincinnati, and the Chargers over Kansas City – the Dolphins get the playoff berth by virtue of the tiebreaker, which is their 8-4 AFC record. Baltimore would be 7-5 and San Diego would be 6-6.

If the Dolphins and Ravens win and San Diego lose, the Ravens get the final berth by virtue of beating the Dolphins 26-23 earlier in the season.

And in what could be a wild scenario, the Dolphins could also be involved in a four- or five-team scenario with Pittsburgh and the New York Jets, but the Dolphins wouldn't win either of those.

The Dolphins can't get in if they lose Sunday at home against the Jets.

On Sunday, the Bills (6-9), an inferior team with inferior talent, pounded the Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium in what has to be considered the most humiliating and frustrating loss in the coach Joe Philbin era.

"(We) picked a helluva day to kind of go out and lay an egg," defensive end Cam Wake said.

The Dolphins, who entered Sunday's game on a three-game winning streak and as one of the feel-good stories of the NFL season after overcoming a four-game losing streak as well as the Jonathan Martin-Richie Incognito scandal. All they needed to do was win their final two games – Sunday at Buffalo and next week against the Jets – to secure an AFC wildcard berth and they couldn't do it.

"In every aspect of the game we failed to step up," said Tannehill, who had one of the worst games in his career by going 10-for-27 passing for 82 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Tannehill was briefly knocked out of the game with a left knee injury. He later returned and after the game said he'd be OK to play against the Jets.

The lowly Bills, using a lineup that included backup quarterback Thad Lewis and didn't include leading receiver Stevie Johnson, manhandled the Dolphins. By the way, this was the second time Lewis, who was making his fourth career start, beat the Dolphins this season. He was under center for the Bills' 23-21 victory over the Dolphins in October.

As for the rest of the team, Buffalo outgained the Dolphins, 390-103. The Bills outrushed the Dolphins, 203-14. The Bills had 18 first downs compared to six for the Dolphins.

Want more ways the Dolphins were dominated?

The Dolphins took one snap in Buffalo territory in the second half, and that resulted in an interception thrown by backup quarterback Matt Moore.

And the Dolphins were 2-for-14 on third-down conversions, a total Tannehill rightfully called "horrendous."

"It wasn't our best day on offense," Philbin said.

The Dolphins still aren't assured of their first winning season since 2008. To accomplish that, they have to defeat the Jets next week. And to make the playoffs they have to defeat the Jets. And it's all because they blew a great opportunity on Sunday.

"Everybody knew how important this was," safety Jimmy Wilson said, "and we just didn't do what we were supposed to do."